Steel Roses

Promise Two: Music

The next evening, after Beldon had spent the evening before raiding the music section of the library and spending the day rehearsing, he found Iago and asked him to find The Beast.

Iago seemed somewhat surprised by the request but nodded.

"Alright," he said, "I'm sure he's in his quarters at this moment." Turning away, he spotted another servant ascending the West Wing stairs. "Ah," he said, walking to the balcony, "Sebastian!"

Beldon winced at the hissing reply he got.

"What?" Sebastian snapped.

"Fetch The Master won't you?" Iago said, unconcerned by the attitude, "He wanted to hear Beldon and promised to attend his music practice."

"Beldon is not a child at a damn recital," Sebastian said, "The Master has more important things to do then listen to him tinker away at a piano. Let him find Beauty, end the curse and then he can hire the boy and Beldon can play for him all he wants."

Beldon eyebrows rose. What was Sebastian's problem with him?! You'd think Beldon hung from The Beast's cloak day after day, wailing in his ear for attention and never giving him a moment's rest.

He took a step forwards and Iago held up a hand.

"Sebastian, neither myself nor Beldon are giving these orders, we are merely relaying The Master's. Go. Get him."

Beldon could actually hear the breath Sebastian let out his huff was so loud.

"You're just helping sabotage things, Iago."

"I'm going to call Jem if you do not hurry up," Iago simply said and Beldon heard Sebastian move away. Iago turned back to Beldon, still looking over his shoulder. "I do hate that man," he muttered.

"Who's Jem?" Beldon asked, instead of asking the question he wanted to ask, which was why Sebastian hated him quite as much as he did.

"Head House Keeper to the lower castle," Iago said, "she's in charge of all the staff that work below stairs. However, she also happens to be one of the few people Sebastian is unnerved by – don't know why – but it certainly helps when it comes to threatening him."

"Would you actually call Jem?"

"Oh certainly, she may scare him but she's a dear friend to me," Iago said as they both walked back into the music room. Beldon dropped onto the piano stool and Iago rang a cord at the door twice before smoothing out his jacket. "I am sorry for Sebastian's attitude," he eventually said.

"Did I do something to him personally that I'm not aware of?" Beldon asked.

"No, no you didn't, he just has his reasons to be the way he is. It doesn't warrant his attitude, but he has his reasons and his fears."

"Fears?"

Iago just shook his head. "Nothing for you to worry about, Sir, leave that type of worry to us."

Beldon frowned at him, but didn't push it. Instead they just waited, Beldon turning to the piano, beginning to practice again. He let himself sink into the music, forcing Sebastian's nasty personality from his mind, if the valet didn't like him, so be it, he couldn't change that.

The piece was about fifteen minutes long – certainly long and complicated to learn in a day but he had, mostly, he couldn't perform without the sheet music but he could at least perform it. He wouldn't play it all for The Beast – he would probably die of boredom – whatever he said, Beldon had a feeling the offer to listen was only out of politeness to entertain Beldon.